With the number of children needing safe and secure foster homes increasing during the pandemic, foster carers, Nic and Chris Kimmance, from Ashford in Kent, are hoping that their story will encourage more people across London and the South East to consider fostering.
Nic and Chris Kimmance have been married for sixteen years. They have two daughters, Lucy and Maddy, and as a family decided to become foster carers with the charity Diagrama.
“Our decision to become foster parents was years in the making,” Nic explained. “When we got married, we knew we wanted a family, but it was not happening for us, so we looked at fostering and adoption. Then I fell pregnant not once but twice and we had two beautiful girls. The idea of fostering went on to the back burner for many years, until I raised the idea with Chris again last year. Once we had agreed to explore fostering, we started to talk with our daughters about what it might mean for our family and how they felt about the possibility of sharing their home with other children. The girls were very positive about the idea so together we moved forward. We were accepted on to the Diagrama fostering programme and after comprehensive training and endless support, our first foster child was placed with us last year.”
Diagrama Fostering is an independent, not-for-profit fostering agency. They work with many local authorities and gives their carers access to a wide and varied range of children in need of care.
“We chose to foster so that we could make a difference. Inviting another child into your home and allowing them to find some stability, come alive and begin to really thrive is the best family decision we have made, and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough,” Chris continued.
There has been an increase in the number of referrals to Diagrama for children needing safe and secure placements during the covid-19 pandemic.
Having witnessed the benefits of fostering firsthand, Nic and Chris are urging others to find out more. “Diagrama run fostering information events online so if you are considering fostering or would just like to find out more about this rewarding career do sign up – what have you got to lose?” said Nic.
Diagrama offers full support to successful candidates to prepare them for the fostering journey. Book a place on an online fostering information event here.
